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G. W. VUNK.

, GAR GOUPLING.

10.274,422, j q Patented Mar. 2o, 188s.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT GEORGE W. VUNK, OF BROCKPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONEHALF 'IO BYRON E. HUNTLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,422, dated March 20, 1883.

Application led February 14, 1883. (Xo model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. VUNK, of Brockport, in the county ot Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, and to the iigures and letters ol' reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of' carcouplings in which the coupling is effected by the engagement of a link on one draw-head with aprojection orhook upon the other drawhead, said link being normally held in elevated position, and caused to fall and engage with the cooperating hook on the opposite draw-head by the slight longitudinal movement of the draw-heads in their bearings, re-

sulting from the meeting of the bum pers ofthe two draw-heads; and the invention consists in certain novel improvements, which I will first describe, and then point out in the claims at the end of this specification.7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of the ends of two cars provided with couplings constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the draw-heads detached. Fig. 3 is a view of one of the hookbars. Fig. et is a view ot' the link. Fig. 5 is a view of the cross bolt or key by which the hookbar is secured in the draw-head. Fig. 6 is a view of means for raising and adjusting the link. Fig. 7 is a view of the device for securing the cross bolt or key in position.

y Similarletters of reference in the several iiguresdenote the same parts.

A represents the draw-head proper, secured to the car in anyr suitable manner, and provided with bumpers B B at its outer end,as shown.

G represents what I term a hook-bar, the same having an inner hook, D, behind which a link, F, is adapted to be held, as hereinafter more fully explained, and having also an outer hook, E, with which the link of the opposite coupling is adapted to engage.

A shank, G, extends back longitudinally into the draw-head proper, and has a shoulder, H, which rests against the front ot' the draw- Vhead. The hook-bar is held within the drawhead by means of a flat cross bolt or key', I,

which passes transversely through the drawhead and through a perforation in the shank of the hook-bar, said cross bolt or key being 5 5 .itself held in position by means of av hook secured to the side of thedraw-head by a setscrew, and made to engage with the ends of the cross bolt or key, as shown in Fig. 2, or by anyr other suitable contrivance. The link F, 6o as before stated, rests behind the inner hook or projection, D, of the hook-bar, and is prevented froni disengagement by the said hook D on the one side and by the proximate tace of the draw-head on the other side, though it is free to swing up and down.

J J represent two curved arms, formed separately or together, and mounted upon a crossshaft, K, which has its bearings on the under side of the bumpersB B, and whose ends, pro- 7c jecting at the sides of the platform, terminate preferably in operating-handles L L.

Above the bumpers, and secured to the end of the car-platform, is a block, M, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) the same being recessed 7 5 v and having a backwardly-inclined face, upon which the upper portion of thelink rests when the link is swung back. To couple two cars together provided with my couplings, the link oi' one of the draw-heads is swung up and made 8o to rest upon its inclined support, while the link of the opposite draw-head' is made to hang down verticallybetween the bumpers. When, now, the bumpers of the two cars come together, both draw-heads will be moved slightly 8 5 longitudinally, which will cause the elevated `link to fall forward and engage with the hook E on the opposite draw-head, thus etectin g the coupling of the two cars securely together.

By means of the handles L the shaft K can be turned and the arms J J caused to lift the link and simply discngage it from the opposite hook-bar, or in addition raise it up until it rests upon the inclined supporting block; and in cases where it is desired to couple to a car provided with an ordinary linkandpin coupling, the shaft K and its arms J J may be employed to support the link and adjust its outer end so as to insure its engagement with the opposite draw-head.

My invention, it will be seen, involves the use of but few parts, any one of which can be IOO replaced when Worn out or accidentally broken. c

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new- 1. The combination, With the vdraW- head proper, of the link and the hook-bar, having the shank extended into and secured to the d rawhead,and the hook or projection between which and the draw-head the end of the link is confined, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the draw-head proper, of the lilik and the hook-bar, having the shank secured to the draw-head, the hook or projection between which and the drawlxead the end ofthe link is conned, and having` also the outer hooks i'or theengagement of the link of the opposite car, substantially as described. i

3. The combination, with the draw-head proper, having the bumpers at its outer end, ofthe hook-barhaving its shank secured within the draw-head, and its hooks D and E pro- Icross bolt or key .passing through said drawhead and perforated shank, and the hook for locking the key in position, substantially as described.

` GEORGE W. VUNK.

Witnesses: f

MELVILLE CHURCH, FRED F. CHURCH. 

